Is it time to ditch your toddler's buggy?

Is it time to stop using your toddler's buggy? It might be convenient, but it could be doing more harm than good. Find out more about the long-term physical and social effects it may have as your toddler gets older.

Is it time to stop using your toddler's buggy? It might be convenient, but it could be doing more harm than good.

Find out more about the long-term physical and social effects it may have as your toddler gets older.

Is it time to stop using your toddler's buggy?

1. Buggies - the price of convenience

Buggies undoubtedly make life a whole lot easier when you have a baby or toddler in toe, especially for parents and caregivers, and using buggies daily in moderation will not cause any long-term developmental issues.

However convenience has its price and buggies could be doing more harm than good as your little one gets older.

Placing an infant on their back or having a toddler sit for long periods of time is not what we as humans are hard-wired to do.

Free movement and exploration is vital for your toddler's development. Yet these days under 3s tend to be spending more and more time in buggies, car seats, capsules and bouncers instead of walking or running around.

Buggies are being over-used and toddlers are spending more time in restricted sedentary positions which could be hindering their development from both a social and physical perspective.

Neuroscience has shown that our brains develop faster between birth and age 3 than during any other period of our life. Motor skills learned during the first 36 months help support cognitive learning and have been linked to performance later on at school.

2. Buggies - a lot less walking for your toddler

It seems more and more toddlers are being pushed around in buggies when they are old enough to easily walk somewhere.

For instance, in the past an older child was often required to walk when a younger sibling came along. These days with double strollers that accommodate two children, the older child often isn’t compelled to walk any more.

Walking and physical activity helps stimulate important brain processes that cannot take place when toddlers are riding in a buggy.

3. Buggies - delayed language development

Toddler's vocabulary development is governed almost entirely by the daily conversations parents have with them.

However these valuable opportunities for interaction can be missed particularly when a forward-facing buggy is used.

Forward-facing buggies are by far the most common, but toddlers in them are the least likely to be interacting socially and it can be emotionally isolating for them too.

Forward-facing buggies give toddlers limited face-to-face time and could impede their social interaction and language development.

Comparatively, studies show that babies in rear-facing strollers have more advanced language skills than babies in front-facing strollers.

4. Find out more about the use of buggies

It may not be time to ditch your toddler's buggy just yet, but perhaps start to think about the long-term physical and social effects as they get older.

You might also be interested in ...

Thinking about swaddling your baby, but not sure if its for you? Swaddling your baby is a great way to calm them and help them feel secure. It also helps newborns sleep in those early months. These useful tips help to explain some of the benefits of swaddling your baby and how to wean them off their swaddle before it becomes a problem.

Creating a great bedroom for toddlers that wont be outgrown too quickly, can take a lot of creativity and planning. By allowing your toddler input into the design of their room, you can create an engaging space that reflects their personality, and where they will want to spend time. Check out these 5 easy ways to help prepare your toddlers room.